Although we parents constantly rush around trying to get our child involved in various activities, and signing them up for a number of classes, we somehow lose interest when our child enters her mid-teens. Why does this happen?

As children grow older, parents want their children to focus less on outside activities and more on their studies. However, just because you haven't signed up your child for tennis lessons doesn't mean she's spending all her free time with her books. Chances are, the more free time she has, the more time she's going to spend on the phone, in front of the television, surfing the net chatting with friends and strangers, or just getting up to mischief.

Of course this doesn't mean you should strive to keep your teen so busy, she has no time for a social life! Hanging out with friends and long telephone calls late into the night are almost a rite of passage with teenagers. You should instead help her use some of the free time she has, more constructively.

Culture

Parents worry about teenagers losing touch with their heritage as they get more and more exposed to pop culture though the media. This is a good time to encourage your child to pursue activities that will help her get in touch with her culture. However, make it a point to get her opinion, and to enrol her in something that is of interest.

Music

Is your child fond of music? Send her for Indian classical music lessons where she can learn singing or play a musical instrument.

Sport

If she is into fitness, enrol her in yoga classes or encourage her to take up a sport.

Dance

If she enjoys dancing, enrol her in classical dance lessons. Don't be surprised if she finds Jazz Ballet a la Shaimak Davar more interesting. If this is the case, don't force her to join Bharatnatyam against her wishes because she will lose interest before long. You could however ask her to compromise and try out an Indian dance form for a few months until she learns the basics and gets some grace, and then she could opt for something of her choice if she still doesn't like it. But don't push too hard. Your aim is to make sure she uses her free time constructively, so don't lose sight of that. If group dancing and jazz ballet is something she will enjoy, remember that this is all good, healthy fun. Not only will she be learning something new and interesting, but she will also get a great workout, get more flexible, and will improve her posture.

Focus

When your child is younger, it makes sense to enrol her in various activities. This way, you can spot where her interests and her talents lie. By the time your child enters her teens, you should help her focus on one activity, outside of the academic arena. This could be dance, music, painting or any sport. Encourage her to take up any one activity seriously. As she gets better at this activity, her self-confidence will increase tremendously. Also, she will no longer be dependent on her friends and peers for their approval, as she has a life outside the framework of her friends. Teens that are actively involved in an extra-curricular activity are less susceptible to peer pressure.